


cliff's edge

by electric_stydiax



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Implied Sexual Content, Long-Distance Friendship, M/M, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:34:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29330136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/electric_stydiax/pseuds/electric_stydiax
Summary: “I’m going to college in the States. Samu, I don’t know if I’m coming back and I —” For a moment, Osamu can’t breathe.Osamu listens, hearing the hitch in Rin’s voice like he’s hiding something and it’s hurting Rintarou.Sometimes you have to fall to be safe. Alternatively, Rin goes to college and Osamu pines.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Kinoshita Hisashi, Kageyama Tobio/Miya Atsumu, Miya Osamu/Suna Rintarou
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21
Collections: SunaOsa Valentine's Exchange





	cliff's edge

**Author's Note:**

> im gonna be real honest, this started as mutual pining and snowballed dangerously. also, Happy Valentine's Day Ginny! I hope you like it, and I loved weaving "red string of fate" and the "supernatural AU" together for this!

Rintarou always adored the idea of the red string of fate, _for others_. He had no interest in having it himself, if only because he felt he functioned the best alone.

It didn’t help that the Suna line was also of sorcerer blood, a tattoo manifesting upon meeting and falling in love with your soulmate once the red string appears. The string is a catalyst, the lore says, jumpstarting the path to eternal partnership.

The foil to that is, Rin remembers, that if the red string of fate manifests and the other person doesn’t love you, you lose a sense. For the first Suna to suffer this fate, he lost his eyes, and another his hearing. The sense that holds your power to sink into your soulmate completely, to become one with them is the one you lose if the feelings are unrequited.

_Hyogo’s blossoms were always prettiest in August_ , he thinks. Shades of pink and crimson overlapping over one another to form tulips and lilacs always made Rintarou’s heart so undeniably warm. He figured he would miss it when he left for university in the States, trading the warmth of Hyogo for the smell of salt and despair across another sea.

He sees his string, realizing that it means Osamu’s close. The warmth down his body leaves Rintarou, leaving him with ice-cold tingles down his back. His sleeves get tugged down, hoping he doesn’t turn red at the sight of his best friend. His skin itches, the shared bond between them begging to manifest in the form of a tattoo.

It takes all of Rintarou’s magic to push the urge down a little longer. He can’t crack under the desire to love, to hold Osamu close. He breathes, his stomach a whirlpool of doubt and nerves. _He doesn't love you, and you cannot tell him._

“Rin! Sorry, I was late, Tsumu was bein’ a shit and held me up while Kita came to visit. Ya haven’t been here too long, right?”

“No, you’re right on time. I don’t think anyone else is in the gardens yet. Let’s go, yeah?” Suna takes Osamu’s hand, soft and sweaty in contrast to his own rough one, and walks to the gates of the garden.

They walk, silent side by side steps as they gaze at the cherry blossoms together. Rintarou wonders if they’ll still be like this leagues apart, an actual sea parting them. “Samu. Osamu. Look at me, please? Just for a moment, for me?”

Osamu turns to Rintarou, expression soft as they both sit down underneath a wisteria tree, hands still entwined with each other, the shades of purple surrounding them like a blanket.

“Rin.”

“Samu.”

“I’m going to college in Tokyo. Please don’t be cross with me. I just have to go. I think I’m outgrowing — “

Rintarou presses his right index finger to Osamu’s lips, the taste of Rin right on his tongue. Rin presses his thumb down on Osamu’s bottom lip, demanding his attention. Osamu tastes honey and rose as his tongue makes contact, his mind a pyre to Suna’s eccentric whim.

“I’m going to college in the States. Samu, I don’t know if I’m coming back and I —” For a moment, Osamu can’t breathe.

Osamu listens, hearing the hitch in Rin’s voice like he’s hiding something and it’s _hurting_ Rintarou.

It hurts Osamu too, subtle stabs of glass to his heart. It itches at his skin, knocks at his bones mercilessly as Rin pauses. He pulls Rin into his embrace, onto his lap. Their noses touch, the moment a tangle of bliss and stress all at once.

Rin refocuses, his magic concealing both ends of the red string from Osamu’s eyes.

“What did you want to tell me, because I’m sure the college thing wasn’t the only part. We’re not getting up until you tell me.” Suna stares Osamu down, jade meeting grey eyes.

Osamu doesn’t tell him, can’t tell him for some reason. He thinks the words faded on his tongue, sinking back down his throat to wither away. If he were alone, he would scream. _This isn’t how it was supposed to go, at all._

~x~

“Will you come back?” Osamu whispers, nervous and dizzy at the thought of being apart from Rin.

“Maybe. I have some choices to make.” Rintarou sighs, because _this_ is the hard part, leaving the other piece of his soul in Japan while he exists somewhere else trying to shed his shame.

_Someone once said “Actually, you said Love, for you, is larger than the usual romantic love. It’s like a religion. It’s terrifying.”_

It’s the terror that keeps the words stuck in Rintarou’s throat, tangled and messy beyond belief. He doesn’t know if he can be a religion for Osamu or even enough to give Osamu the worship and veneration he’s deserving of deep down.

“Flight 101 to John Wayne Airport, now entering pre-check! Please enter the line so that we can get you checked in.” A soft monotone voice rings in the air, pulling at the perpetual “what if” in the space.

“I promise, all my secrets are yours when I come back. I won’t blame you if you can’t wait, just — “ Rin’s words leave him like a bullet train, fast and rattled.

“Now boarding: Flight 101 to John Wayne Airport. Please board as quickly as possible.”

They walk to Rintarou’s terminal, hands gripping on for dear life. Osamu doesn’t know if he truly lets go of his hand for a moment until Rin whispers.

“You have to let go. I know, this isn’t perfect or good but I promise, I promise I’ll call and write somehow and we will see each other again. You have to let me get on that plane though, Samu.”

At this point, both men are still facing each other, noses touching. Osamu realizes he has nothing left to lose and leans in, only for Rin to accidentally turn his head, Osamu’s lips pressing against his cheek.

He finally lets go of Rin’s hand and whispers his goodbye. _The world doesn’t need to see me fall apart as the biggest part of mine walks away._

_~x~_

A 5 AM flight means the airport is oddly quiet, too quiet for Osamu’s liking. Rintarou’s hand is squeezing his own tightly, almost like he’s trying to crush it, sinking into him one last time.

“I’m going to be good enough for you when I come back. I promise. Then, I’ll tell you everything. No more secrets, not a single one.”

“Not if you come back? When? I’ll wait for you. I promise I will. Just come back eventually, please. With no effort at all, Osamu buried his head in Rin’s shoulder and cries, a moment of stillness. Every last what if, declarations unsaid come crashing down in the form of tears. Rin weaves his hand through fading gray locks and tugs so gently, a reminder that he’s still with him.

He wakes, his cheeks wet with fresh tears as Osamu sits up. The sky is still pitch black, the alarm clock blinking at 2:45 AM. Osamu has to muffle the scream into his pillow as he remembers the almost on his tongue from that day. _Why couldn’t I just fuckin say it? Gods._

He’s tugged out of his bed, lifted really, and shoved face-first into a chest. Atsumu picks him up and begins to carry him downstairs to their kitchen.

“Tsumu, fuck are you on? It’s 3 AM, go back to sleep.”

“No. I can’t sleep and yer wailing. We’re making food and talking, since yer such a damn mess.” Atsumu sets Osamu down on a barstool, then starting pulling out everything necessary for stir fry noodles, from carrots, peas, radish, and cabbage to starting the kettle to boil the noodles.

“Start talkin’. You’ve been extra miserable since Rin left. I thought ya told him you love him.” Atsumu’s eyes are soft, the worry evident within them deeply obvious.

“I almost did, but then I found out he was moving to the states for uni. Took him to the airport and all. I nearly kissed him on the lips, Tsumu. He turned his face so I caught his cheek, but I did it. Felt like I threw myself into a bonfire.”

Atsumu finishes chopping the carrots, cabbage, and radishes before speaking again, waiting for his twin to interrogate him twofold.

“What about you and Tobio-kun? You haven’t said jack since that camp about him. Was it a — “

“I chickened out. I couldn’t tell him, he said something about wanting to know all of me before I say something I could regret. Said the last person who confessed to him couldn’t handle their baggage or somethin’ like that. So I shoved my letter in his bag because I couldn’t face him after that. I want to be enough for someone to stay, Samu. What if I’m not enough for him or shit, fuckin’ anyone?”

Osamu glares at his brother, trying to compute the stupidity he just heard leave his mouth. _Not enough?_ Atsumu has always been one to take up more space between them both, to be too much sometimes unknowingly.

“Miya Atsumu, did Kageyama say he thought you weren’t for him’? Did he explicitly say he didn’t return the feelings? If Ma heard the garbage yer spouting she’d yell ya ears off for being a dummy. Tell me exactly what that emotionally stunted prodigy said, and _don't twist shit_.”

Atsumu drops the vegetables in a cold pan and adds spices before turning around.

“He wants to go slow, be friends first. He’s concerned I may be acting impulsively.”

“Tsumu, don’t twist shit or I’ll overwrite over your damn game files and make you start from scratch.”

“He thinks he’s not good enough for me and that I’m taking pity on him romantically or some shit like that. THERE. IT DOESN’T HELP THAT I’VE LOVED HIM SINCE SECOND YEAR INTER HIGH. FUCKIN HELL SAMU, KITA NOW TOBIO.” Atsumu falls to the floor, crumbling into the fetal position, sobbing as he tried to calm down before something else happened.

Osamu picks his twin up, patting his back and setting him down on the barstool beside him as Atsumu finally let it all go.

They finish cooking and fall asleep on the couch, both sets of cheeks stained with dried tears in the morning.

~x~

He writes, his kanji and hiragana steady as ink goes to paper. Osamu realizes it’s _not_ enough and tries again but in Latin, a learned tongue from his own time in university.

_Why is it that a dead tongue comes to me to confess my feelings for Rintarou? A language from the mouths of being that are dust now and yet, I can speak volumes about him like this._

He nearly burns both letters before trying again in English. The desire to hold him close makes his heart squeeze tight, not sure how to cope with the desire to admit every word of his love to him. Yet, even with an address in his phone and three different text threads, Osamu can’t do it. He can’t reach out because there’s still this nagging fear that Rin left Japan because he doesn’t truly love him, that Irvine was a ticket to leaving him behind for something better.

The last letter has him in tears, frustrated as his tears run down the page as he tries again.

_I miss you, but I’m glad you’re finding a new comfort zone (without me)_

_I love you, and I should’ve told you at the airport or the damn wisteria tree like I planned. Or when we graduated, I had my second button ready to give ya and everything. Blue flowers too, they would’ve brought out your eyes._

_I’m sorry I’m a fuckin coward Rin. I was so sure my mouth would fail me between then and now, and admit that you’re my universe, constellations and stupid stars and hell. I wish I said it sooner, and now I’m far too late._

He opens his phone, seeing the address in his notes. Irvine, California. The cursor on the note blinks back at him, a taunt to remind that Rin hadn’t reached out yet either.

_I promised that I’d call, along with that almost kiss. Don’t chicken out now, idiot. Call him._

He opens the Line app and calls. It rings, once, twice until he hears Rin’s voice.

“Samu? You ok? You can hear me, yeah?” Osamu returns to the present, his face cherry red.

“Yeah, I just ...missed ya a lot Rin, so much that I wanna come to visit so badly. I passed the cafe we liked and I thought of you. I’m gonna come visit, just tell me when.”

Rin tells him March when it’s warmest so that he can show Osamu the pretty California view.

~x~

When Rintarou lands in California he cries, sobs like a waterfall as it really hits him and hard. _Fucking hell, I’m such a coward. I say I love him without saying it and fear my own shortcomings more than being honest. I’m such a fool._

For a moment, he forgets someone from the University of California, Irvine is picking him up so when someone asks, “Are you alright? You don’t look well. I’ll grab your bags and we can talk.”

Suna looks up and sees dark brown hair in wide spikes and tissue being held out to him. “I’m Hajime and I’ll be your guide/roommate along with this goofball here.” He points to another boy whose currently dragging two of Rin’s bags towards them. He’s struggling a bit, looking like the biggest suitcase is about to crush him sideways.

“Hisashi? Do you need help? I can get a bag, you know.” The other boy looks up at Hajime and smiles all soft and sweet.

“If it’s not too much trouble, Hajime. I didn’t want to burden you.” Hisashi laughs as Hajime grabs one of the suitcases from his grasp before kissing his hand.

Hisashi extends his other hand to Rintarou, a wide smile on his face. “Hi! I’m Hisashi, and welcome to Irvine! We’ll get that frown off your face in no time. For now, let’s get you home and safe. What’s your name?”

Suna manages a sniffle and a laugh. “Hi. I’m Rintarou, please call me Rin though. Where is home for you both?”

“We live in an apartment, but we have two empty bedrooms so we offered to host some freshmen in our apartment. You’re going to be just fine, we promise!”

The drive to their home is long, and Rin puts on his playlist as he gazes out the window.

_I think I run away sometimes_

_Whenever I get too vulnerable_

_That's not your fault (Yeah)_

_See I wanna stay the whole night_

_I wanna lay with you 'til the sun's up_

_I wanna let you inside_

_Oh, heaven knows I've tried_

_I wish that I could I let you love_

_Wish that I could let you love me_

_I wish that I could I let you love_

_Wish that I could let you love me_

The sniffles are quieter this time, but both Hajime and Hisashi still hear, their hearts aching because their newest visitor is hurting so much being so far from home.

Once Rin is unpacked and settled in, Hisashi and Hajime pull him aside onto the couch. He pouts, but Rin scuffles down in Osamu’s Inarizaki hoodie and matching shorts, covered in Osamu’s soft lemon and pine scent still despite being packed months ago (without Osamu’s knowledge, naturally).

“So, are you ready to talk about why you were crying earlier? You’ve got us both worried.”

Rin sinks into the hoodie, trying to hide and evade. Hajime gently tugs him out by the arm and sits him up.

“I was a coward. I didn’t tell someone I loved them before I left. Like how you love Hajime. I don’t know if I can now. I promised him, promised him I’d come back a better person.” Rin feels two tugs on his pinky fingers and he’s set upright by Hajime.

Rin peeks his head out of the hoodie and sees two blue strings. He tugs and Hisashi laughs as he tugs back on the same string. Hajime does the same, a small smile on his face.

“Not everyone who doesn’t love you will enact the lore, you know. The first person I loved fell out of love with me and every sense is with me, and sharper now that I’m with Hisashi. How much do you love this person?”

“I can’t imagine life without him or before him. Like when we were in high school, it was us against the world. He was the sword and I was the shield. I just waited too long to tell him.” Hisashi stands up, grabbing three teacups and starting the kettle.

“What kind of tea do you like? I have a feeling we’ll be here a while. Order dinner, would you please Hajime?” Hajime does, grabbing two hoodies as Hisashi grabs the loose tea and honey.

“When I first confessed to Hisashi, I honestly thought he would reject me. We had only properly met the year before, and he didn’t take me too seriously until I recited a quote from my favorite movie and he responded right back without hesitation.” Hisashi laughs as he adds honey to Hajime’s green tea and Rin’s white tea.

The rest of the night is spent eating noodles and tea while both upperclassmen tell Rin he has to shed his fears and call Osamu. Rin promises to, even if it hurts.

“What makes you so sure he doesn’t love you back? Did he say it with his words, or make it obvious?”

“No. He’s never said anything about his feelings beforehand either, so I just thought he didn’t. Not to mention, if he really didn’t love me and I confessed, I would’ve lost one of my senses.”

“Mama always said that assuming makes an ass out of you and me, you know? That assumption may have kept you apart instead of protecting you. You won’t know unless you try. Call him in a few weeks once you’re settled.” Hisashi murmurs, his voice a blanket to Rin’s woes.

~x~

Rin smiles as he parks, pulling Osamu along to show him the trail he chose for them.

“Hiking? The Rin I knew would shrivel at the thought of somethin’ like this as a trip. Ya sure you weren’t replaced with a pod person?” Rin punches Osamu lightly on the shoulder, a soft thing against Osamu’s arms. _Shit, did Samu get bulkier? I’m gonna die, aren’t I? That’s sexy._

As they hit the trail, and head up the first hill, he can’t help but stare at Rintarou intently. The sparkle in his eyes came back, the jade with some speckles of garnet if one were to look real close.

“Samu, you haven’t been listening have you? Well stop for a moment, we need to talk, ok?” Osamu tries not to giggle as they both sit down and pull out their water bottles.

The way Rintarou’s mouth wrapped around the nozzle and sucked did not escape Osamu’s thoughts at all, and the desire to _act, to open up the long-standing desire to be something more with Rin. Yes, the fact that his hard-on is barely concealed by his slightly forgiving leggings helps, but at what cost? His sanity, his pride? He’d damn it all if it meant he could just be one with Rin._

Meanwhile, Rin stops at the top of the trail where a tent is already set up for them.

“It’s ours, for tonight at least. You ok, Osamu? You seem distracted.”

“Rin, I wanna fuck you but I’m not doin anything you don’t want. I’m in love with you, have been for years, and god I wanna ruin ya in that tent.” Osamu realizes his brain to mouth filter has finally left him to rot and nearly screams.

Rin looks around before dropping to his knees, head against Osamu’s clothed torso before kissing through his leggings. “Fuck Samu, I want it but please let me taste you first. The only reason for that is cause I wanna know how sweet you actually are, darlin’.

They fumble as Osamu picks up Rin in his arms, falling into the tent and kissing.

Rin finds out that Osamu really is that sweet, from up to and down low.

The next morning, Rintarou wakes up with a sore ass and a headache. _Damn, I know he wasn’t the roughest but damn I’m sore._

He looks over at his right hand, realizing the red string was visible again and proceeds to check his arm. A purple hyacinth adorns his right arm, meaning _forgiveness or you are forgiven_ in flower language.

“Is that why there’s a hyacinth on my arm? Those tend to mean _I’m sorry_. What do you have to be sorry for, Rin?”

Rintarou’s body goes stiff in Osamu’s grasp, and he turns to face him. The one person who saw him, from lies and masks down to flesh and bone. This man has seen the gods with him in the carnage of romance, yet he hesitates.

Rin raises his right hand, placing it in Osamu’s left one. “I’m sorry because I knew we were soulmates the whole time. I hid it from you because I thought, believed really that I wasn’t good enough yet for you. Not worthy of your heart just yet. Not to mention — “

Osamu’s grip tightens, warmth radiating off him in waves.

“You promised your secrets are mine too, remember? You can tell me Rin.” The soft pleading in his voice tugs at Rintarou and if not now, then when?

Suna turns to Osamu, at the verge of tears because this moment is the difference between coming together or falling apart for him. If Osamu didn’t love him back, the sense would be taken swiftly and quickly.

A song swims in Rintarou’s mind as the words bubble up, an echo of a question.

_Yeah I wonder, will you_

_Be the last_

_One I love?_

_Yeah I wonder, will you_

_Be the last_

_One I love?_

_Yeah I wonder, will you_

_Be the last_

_One I love?_

_Yeah I wonder, will you_

_Be the last_

_One I love?_

“I love you like mornings love the sky, like the sand and the sea. Really, I’ve been yours since the end of the first year when you asked me why I don’t talk about my family besides Rei. You were willing to wait out the best and worst in me, asking me to wait for you despite my faults. Osamu, I want you to stay, even if things get hard. I want to stay for you because I want to give everything I get right back. I don’t like life without you in it, even as a thought.” Suna breathes in again, head wobbly from the earnestness done in a single breath.

Osamu tastes like the lemonade they shared the night before, the last time they were separate before being one fully. The world spins as they crash together again, chaotic as the ocean near them.

“I always loved you, until I’m gravel and stone. I will always love you, your galaxy of a being. Kiss me again, Rin.”

Rin does, the hold on Osamu’s hips tight as he kisses his cheeks, his neck, his lips. The want of forever, the smell of peonies on Osamu’s skin.

Rin’s fears finally wane from the deep thrum under his skin, his affection reciprocated right back.

~x~

“Rin, ya think they’ll like me? They’re basically yer parents, and I know how we left each other. If I’m a little too honest, I’m nervous.” Rin pulls Osamu to him, his back to Osamu’s chest. He traces Osamu’s blue hyacinth to his own purple one, a daily reminder of the forgiveness he always had.

“Samu, they’re going to love you. They know you wouldn’t hurt me, don’t worry. Besides, I have a feeling you’ll be well received once you make dinner for us. Look at me, love. You’re safe with me, I promise.”

Once they make it inside, Rin is bombarded by hugs and kisses from Hisashi and the boys. It’s Hajime who finally gives Osamu a once over, before pulling him aside as Rin follows Hisashi into the kitchen.

“So you’re the soulmate. I’m watching you, especially since Rin is my baby brother. You promise to keep him safe, never to break his heart? Know that if you can’t or hurt him, I won’t wait for a phone call. I’ll kick your ass myself if Rin doesn’t first.” Hajime’s sharp gaze levels Osamu speechless, and a touch afraid. He gulps, fumbling out a nervous but earnest yes.

“I’ve spent so long wondering what life would be like with my soulmate now, and I can’t, I won’t risk it now that I can love Rin without getting in my own way.”

Hajime relaxes upon hearing Osamu’s response and examines his soulmate tattoo more closely.

“It suits you both. Rin always did regret not telling you sooner, and I assumed you always forgave him?” Osamu laughs as some tears run down his cheeks and smiles.

“Yeah, because I was sorry too. Now, there’s no need for what-if’s and apologies because we have each other now.”

Rin walks in, tugging Osamu away from Hajime. “You’ve scared him enough, Hajime! Give me my boyfriend back!” He sticks his tongue out as a joke as he leads Osamu up the stairs to his room.

They lay side by side, giggling as Rin scoots closer to make himself a big spoon for Osamu.

“I love you, Samu.”

Osamu was already fast asleep, soft snores filling the room. Rin rests his head next to Osamu’s, shutting his eyes.

_He does love you, and you told him of your love, of verses and promises and kisses. He told you of galaxies and bindings, and now you are safe._

_You are safe._


End file.
